vs

Side-by-side financial comparison of ACME UNITED CORP (ACU) and EASTERN CO (EML). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

EASTERN CO is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($55.3M vs $52.3M, roughly 1.1× ACME UNITED CORP). ACME UNITED CORP runs the higher net margin — 1.9% vs 1.0%, a 0.8% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, ACME UNITED CORP posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (13.8% vs -22.4%). Over the past eight quarters, EASTERN CO's revenue compounded faster (-0.6% CAGR vs -2.9%).

Acme United Corporation is a supplier of cutting, measuring and safety products for the school, home, office, hardware and industrial markets. The company was organized as a partnership in 1867 and incorporated in 1873 under the laws of the State of Connecticut. It is publicly traded on the NYSE American with symbol ACU.

China Eastern Airlines is a major airline in China, headquartered in Changning, Shanghai. It is one of the three major airlines in the country, along with Air China and China Southern Airlines.

ACU vs EML — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
EML
EML
1.1× larger
EML
$55.3M
$52.3M
ACU
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
ACU
ACU
+36.2% gap
ACU
13.8%
-22.4%
EML
Higher net margin
ACU
ACU
0.8% more per $
ACU
1.9%
1.0%
EML
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
EML
EML
Annualised
EML
-0.6%
-2.9%
ACU

Income Statement — Q1 2026 vs Q3 2026

Metric
ACU
ACU
EML
EML
Revenue
$52.3M
$55.3M
Net Profit
$985.0K
$578.9K
Gross Margin
39.7%
22.3%
Operating Margin
3.3%
3.1%
Net Margin
1.9%
1.0%
Revenue YoY
13.8%
-22.4%
Net Profit YoY
-40.4%
103.8%
EPS (diluted)
$0.24
$0.10

Green = leading value per metric. Periods may differ when fiscal calendars don't align.

8-Quarter Revenue & Profit Trend

Side-by-side quarterly history. Quarters aligned by calendar period so offset fiscal years line up.

Revenue
ACU
ACU
EML
EML
Q1 26
$52.3M
Q4 25
$47.5M
Q3 25
$49.1M
$55.3M
Q2 25
$54.0M
$70.2M
Q1 25
$46.0M
$63.3M
Q4 24
$45.9M
$64.3M
Q3 24
$48.2M
$71.3M
Q2 24
$55.4M
$72.6M
Net Profit
ACU
ACU
EML
EML
Q1 26
$985.0K
Q4 25
$1.9M
Q3 25
$1.9M
$578.9K
Q2 25
$4.8M
$3.4M
Q1 25
$1.7M
$1.9M
Q4 24
$1.7M
$1.3M
Q3 24
$2.2M
$-15.3M
Q2 24
$4.5M
$3.5M
Gross Margin
ACU
ACU
EML
EML
Q1 26
39.7%
Q4 25
38.2%
Q3 25
39.1%
22.3%
Q2 25
41.0%
23.3%
Q1 25
39.0%
22.4%
Q4 24
38.7%
23.6%
Q3 24
38.5%
25.5%
Q2 24
40.8%
25.4%
Operating Margin
ACU
ACU
EML
EML
Q1 26
3.3%
Q4 25
6.1%
Q3 25
6.1%
3.1%
Q2 25
11.8%
4.5%
Q1 25
5.3%
5.1%
Q4 24
5.0%
6.1%
Q3 24
6.1%
9.5%
Q2 24
11.5%
8.3%
Net Margin
ACU
ACU
EML
EML
Q1 26
1.9%
Q4 25
3.9%
Q3 25
3.9%
1.0%
Q2 25
8.8%
4.9%
Q1 25
3.6%
3.1%
Q4 24
3.7%
2.0%
Q3 24
4.6%
-21.5%
Q2 24
8.0%
4.8%
EPS (diluted)
ACU
ACU
EML
EML
Q1 26
$0.24
Q4 25
$0.46
Q3 25
$0.46
$0.10
Q2 25
$1.16
$0.56
Q1 25
$0.41
$0.32
Q4 24
$0.43
$0.22
Q3 24
$0.54
$-2.46
Q2 24
$1.09
$0.56

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

Snapshot of each company's liquidity, leverage and book value from the latest quarter.

Metric
ACU
ACU
EML
EML
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$4.2M
$9.2M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$33.0M
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$116.7M
$124.3M
Total Assets
$195.2M
$220.0M
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.28×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
ACU
ACU
EML
EML
Q1 26
$4.2M
Q4 25
$3.6M
Q3 25
$5.1M
$9.2M
Q2 25
$3.6M
$9.1M
Q1 25
$3.4M
$10.2M
Q4 24
$6.4M
$16.1M
Q3 24
$5.7M
$9.7M
Q2 24
$3.8M
$2.0M
Total Debt
ACU
ACU
EML
EML
Q1 26
$33.0M
Q4 25
Q3 25
Q2 25
Q1 25
Q4 24
$42.2M
Q3 24
Q2 24
Stockholders' Equity
ACU
ACU
EML
EML
Q1 26
$116.7M
Q4 25
$117.6M
Q3 25
$115.8M
$124.3M
Q2 25
$113.7M
$124.4M
Q1 25
$108.3M
$121.0M
Q4 24
$107.0M
$120.7M
Q3 24
$106.3M
$119.2M
Q2 24
$104.0M
$136.5M
Total Assets
ACU
ACU
EML
EML
Q1 26
$195.2M
Q4 25
$171.0M
Q3 25
$173.0M
$220.0M
Q2 25
$170.9M
$229.4M
Q1 25
$163.0M
$232.3M
Q4 24
$162.2M
$235.3M
Q3 24
$165.5M
$244.2M
Q2 24
$173.5M
$255.9M
Debt / Equity
ACU
ACU
EML
EML
Q1 26
0.28×
Q4 25
Q3 25
Q2 25
Q1 25
Q4 24
0.35×
Q3 24
Q2 24

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

How much cash each business actually produces after reinvestment. Cash flow is harder to manipulate than net income.

Metric
ACU
ACU
EML
EML
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$3.1M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$3.1M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
5.5%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
0.1%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
5.38×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$12.3M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
ACU
ACU
EML
EML
Q1 26
Q4 25
$8.2M
Q3 25
$7.1M
$3.1M
Q2 25
$6.3M
$3.8M
Q1 25
$-3.3M
$-1.8M
Q4 24
$6.4M
$11.0M
Q3 24
$8.9M
$-2.9M
Q2 24
$6.9M
$8.4M
Free Cash Flow
ACU
ACU
EML
EML
Q1 26
Q4 25
$7.3M
Q3 25
$301.0K
$3.1M
Q2 25
$4.7M
$3.0M
Q1 25
$-4.7M
$-2.7M
Q4 24
$4.7M
$9.0M
Q3 24
$7.5M
$-7.7M
Q2 24
$4.4M
$7.3M
FCF Margin
ACU
ACU
EML
EML
Q1 26
Q4 25
15.3%
Q3 25
0.6%
5.5%
Q2 25
8.7%
4.3%
Q1 25
-10.2%
-4.3%
Q4 24
10.2%
13.9%
Q3 24
15.6%
-10.8%
Q2 24
8.0%
10.1%
Capex Intensity
ACU
ACU
EML
EML
Q1 26
Q4 25
1.9%
Q3 25
13.8%
0.1%
Q2 25
3.0%
1.1%
Q1 25
2.9%
1.3%
Q4 24
3.7%
3.2%
Q3 24
2.8%
6.7%
Q2 24
4.5%
1.5%
Cash Conversion
ACU
ACU
EML
EML
Q1 26
Q4 25
4.34×
Q3 25
3.72×
5.38×
Q2 25
1.33×
1.09×
Q1 25
-2.02×
-0.95×
Q4 24
3.73×
8.41×
Q3 24
3.99×
Q2 24
1.55×
2.40×

Financial Flow Comparison

Revenue → gross profit → operating profit → net profit for each company.

Related Comparisons